Open AccessEpstein-Barr virus infection of infants: implications of early age of infection on viral control and risk for Burkitt lymphoma
Author(s) -
Rosemary Rochford
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
boletín médico del hospital infantil de méxico
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2444-3409
DOI - 10.1016/s2444-3409(16)30017-6
Subject(s) - lymphoma , malaria , virology , burkitt's lymphoma , biology , virus , population , plasmodium falciparum , epstein–barr virus , immunology , medicine , environmental health
ince its first description by Denis Burkitt, endemic Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL), the most common childhood cancer in sub-Saharan Africa, has led scientists to search for clues to the origins of this malignancy. The discovery of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in BL cells over 50 years ago led to extensive sero-epidemiology studies and revealed that rather than being a virus restricted to areas where BL is endemic, EBV is ubiquitous in the world’s population with an estimated greater than 90% of adults worldwide infected. A second pathogen, Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) malaria is also linked to BL. In this review, we will discuss recent studies that indicate a role for P. falciparum malaria in dysregulating EBV infection, and increasing the risk for BL in children living where P. falciparum malaria transmission is high